1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air intake apparatus for four wheeled vehicle. More specifically, the present invention relates to an air intake apparatus mainly for a utility vehicle suitable for driving on an irregular ground for supplying combustion air into an engine and an air intake apparatus for supplying air for cooling a V-belt type continuously variable transmission.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 8 shows an example of a conventional utility vehicle. The vehicle includes a riding space 110 surrounded by a ROPS 111 between a pair of right and left front wheels 101 and a pair of right and left rear wheels 102. Seats 104 are provided in the riding space 110. An engine 105 and a V-belt type continuously variable transmission 106 are arranged below the seat 104. A hood 112 is provided in front of the riding space 110, and covers the upper side of a hood chamber 113.
An air intake apparatus for supplying combustion air into the engine 105 includes an intake manifold 115 arranged sideward of the engine 105, a first air intake duct 120 connected to the intake manifold 115, and an air cleaner 122 connected to the air intake duct 120. The air intake duct 120 is extended downward from the intake manifold 115 to a floor surface 121 in the riding space 110, is extended forward along the floor surface 121, and is raised in the hood chamber 113. The air cleaner 122 is provided at the upper end of the air intake duct 120. An air intake opening 122a of the air cleaner 122 is opened into a dashboard 125 adjacent to the rear side of the hood chamber 113. As a prior art document, there is U.S. Pat. No. 8,316,975B2.
In addition, an air intake apparatus for supplying air for cooling the V-belt type continuously variable transmission 106 includes a second air intake duct 116 connected to the front portion of the V-belt type continuously variable transmission 106. The air intake duct 116 is extended forward from the front portion of the V-belt type continuously variable transmission 106 along the floor surface 121 in the riding space 110. An air intake opening 116a at the end of the air intake duct 116 is opened into the hood chamber 113. As a prior art document, there is Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-151237.
When the utility vehicle is driven on irregular ground, dirt, sand, water, or other foreign substances kicked up by the front wheels 101 may enter into the air intake apparatus for engine or the V-belt type continuously variable transmission. To prevent this, the air intake openings 116a and 122a of these air intake apparatuses are arranged in the hood chamber 113 in which the upper side thereof is covered by the hood 112. The air intake openings 116a and 122a are opened into a space into which dirt, sand, water, or other foreign substances kicked up by the front wheels 101 is hard to enter.
The air intake ducts 120 and 116 are extended forward from the engine 105 and the V-belt type continuously variable transmission 106 arranged below the seat 104 along the floor surface 121 in the riding space 110, so that the ends thereof are arranged in the hood chamber 113. The air intake path from the air intake opening 122a of the air intake apparatus for engine to the intake manifold 115 of the engine 105 is long, and the air intake path from the air intake opening 116a of the duct 116 for cooling the V-belt type continuously variable transmission to the air intake portion of the V-belt type continuously variable transmission 106 is long. Consequently, the airflow resistance in the air intake ducts 120 and 116 is increased. In addition, the air intake ducts 120 and 116 are of a divided type in consideration of assembling ability, resulting in increasing the number of components.